WORCESTER, Mass. — The Worcester Housing Authority says its programs are helping families build a future beyond public housing by providing financial education, career support and incentives to help residents reach their goals.
For Ruby Grajales, that journey began as a teenage mother experiencing homelessness. Grajales said she became a single mother at just 17 years old before discovering the Worcester Housing Authority’s ‘A Better Life’ program.
“I’ve lived in two different shelters here in Worcester,” Grajales told Boston 25 News.
Through the program, Grajales has built a career in corrections and real estate and is the owner of two homes.
“It was great that I could break the cycle and give that to my son,” Grajales said.
The A Better Life program requires participants to spend 30 hours a week working, attending school or taking part in approved activities. The program also offers support and financial incentives, including opportunities to build savings through escrow accounts.
Grajales recalled the moment she received money she had accumulated through the program.
“I would pay my rent and they would take a portion of that and put it in an escrow account,” Grajales said. “When I received the check, I was like, is that check going to clear? Is that really my money?”
Worcester Housing Authority CEO Alex Corrales says the goal is to change how families think about affordable housing by helping them build long-term financial stability.
“We’ve seen so many families that now have successfully transitioned into the private rental market and bought homes and are first-time homeowners,” Corrales told Boston 25 News.
Corrales tells Boston 25 News homeownership can provide families with an opportunity to build wealth through equity while creating stability for future generations.
Gregory Rosa and his wife, Gladys, participated in a separate voluntary initiative known as the Family Self-Sufficiency program helped them pursue similar goals.
The couple participated in the program while raising their children, who are now teenagers.
“It gives you the education that you need to get a better job,” Rosa said. “When we purchased the house, we decided to go on our own business, so we not only own a house, we own our own business.”
While the programs operate separately, housing authority officials say they share a common mission. Corrales says those lessons can have an impact that extends far beyond the families currently participating.
“When you teach somebody what a credit score is, what financial literacy is, they will now pass that down to their children,” Corrales said. “How to prepare for an interview, how to do conflict resolution at a job. Those are life skills.”
The Worcester Housing Authority says it hopes that as more families achieve financial independence, more housing opportunities will become available for others still waiting for a place to call home.
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